1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a position adjustable pedal assembly for a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an automotive position adjustable pedal assembly to be used such as for brake, accelerator and clutch pedals, wherein a position of the pedal is adjustable in the forward and rearward directions of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
There has been proposed a pedal assembly which enables a driver to adjust a position of the pedal in the forward and rearward directions of the vehicle according to his or her height. This is required since if the driver's seat is adjusted forwardly or rearwardly to match his or her height, the visual field is varied corresponding to the seat position, which is not preferable in view of safety as well as the driving comfortable. Further, if the driver's seat is moved rearwardly, the leg space for a passenger sitting on the rear seat becomes inevitably narrow. Accordingly, there have been required such a pedal assembly which makes it possible to adjust the position of the pedal forwardly and rearwardly.
In the conventional pedal assembly, however, there arises a problem of a variation in force applied to an operating member which is connected to a vehicle operation system, such as a braking system, an engine throttle valve or a clutch system, according to a position of a pedal pad between its adjustable range. Specifically, if an amount or a distance of pivotal displacement of the pedal pad, i.e. of displacement of the pedal pad in the circumferential direction caused by the depression of the pedal pad by the driver is the same, the force applied to the operating member varies according an adjusted position of the pedal pad due to change in a length of a lever between its pivot axis at its upper end and a pedal pad at its lower end where the depression force is appled by the driver.
This variation forces the driver to operate the pedal pad differently according to the adjusted pedal pad position.